BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

Any hopes the Angels harbored for a totally harmonious solution to their four-goes-into-three math problem evaporated on Day 1 of the Odd Outfielder Out Era.

Jim Edmonds returned to center field after 36 days on the disabled list because of a sprained right thumb, rookie lead-off hitter Darin Erstad moved to left, Tim Salmon was home in right and Garret Anderson was left out.

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” an annoyed Anderson said, before walking away.

Edmonds was happy to be back in the lineup, but didn’t seem overjoyed with any plan that involved a daily shuffling of the outfielders. “This is not going to be too good,” he said. “I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Salmon and Erstad aren’t going to say anything that could be perceived as even remotely critical, so the Angels’ plan to juggle outfielders apparently gets two nay votes and two abstentions from the players in question.

Manager Marcel Lachemann had hoped to keep everybody happy and still somehow “put the best lineup on the field every day.” He may have to settle for the latter.

“I think they all had the idea things were going to be different,” Lachemann said. “Now they have to check the lineup to see who’s in it.”

Lachemann said Erstad “has been our only legitimate leadoff hitter” and therefore will get “more time than anyone else.”